


Rescue Me

by DashFlintceschi



Series: Prompt Table [13]
Category: You Me At Six
Genre: Dan's scared of the dark, Gen, Max cuddles him to make him feel better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 06:23:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8001781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashFlintceschi/pseuds/DashFlintceschi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan needs rescuing from his fear. Max saves him with cuddling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rescue Me

**Author's Note:**

> Number 34: Darkness. This is kinda weird. Quiet a few of the stories that are coming from these prompts are getting weird.

Dan tenses uncomfortably as Matt waves the DVD case around.

“Come on, it’s supposed to be awesome!” He coaxes, and Dan has to suppress a whimper as the other three start to waver, considering it for a moment as, one by one, they nod in agreement, and Matt cheers softly, before all four of them turn to Dan.

“Eh, it doesn’t look that great, to be honest,” he shrugs as casually as he can, holding his breath as they frown at him.

“Are you kidding? It’s being called the film of the year, the scariest horror in ages!” Josh insists, and Dan sighs, slowly nodding.

“Alright, but if it’s shit, I won’t be letting any of you forget for a while,” he surrenders, making them cheer as Matt puts the disc into the DVD player.

An hour and a half later, Dan’s regretting his decision. He’s absolutely terrified; his hands are clammy and trembling; he’s trying his hardest to control his sharp, shallow breaths so the others won’t notice; and his heart feels like it’s trying to hammer its way out of his chest. As the credits roll, the others are laughing, talking about how awesome the film was as Chris turns it off, but it’s all Dan can do not to cry.

Dan follows as the others make their way to bed, trying to act normal and join in the light conversation bouncing around him as they get changed and climb into their respective bunks. Once he’s settled in his bunk, Dan tries to relax, forcing himself to think about absolutely anything else. It doesn’t work, though, and every tiny movement and sound has him jumping and trembling.

An hour after they went to bed, Dan’s still awake, trying desperately to convince himself that he’s imagining the shuffling footsteps getting closer to his bunk; that the human shaped shadow coming towards him is just his mind twisting something innocuous. It keeps getting closer, though, and he swears he can hear it breathing. When it’s right outside his bunk, he can’t help the whimper that slips out. The shadow hesitates, then turns towards his bunk, pulling the curtain back. Dan’s never been so relieved as he is when he sees Max standing on the other side, hair a mess, his cigarettes and lighter in his hand. He’d gone out for a cigarette, Dan has no idea how he didn’t hear him getting up.

“You alright, mate?” Max’s voice is an odd mixture of slow and sleepy, and yet alert and concerned.

“Y-yeah, I’m… I’m fine,” he forces out, and even he can hear how weak and pathetic it sounds. Max raises an eyebrow and stares at him expectantly until he gives up and sighs. “Ok, fine. I’m kinda freaking out. I… I don’t really like the dark, and that stupid film really got to me,” he admits, voice as low as possible in case any of the others are awake.

“You’re scared of the dark?” Max asks in surprise, though he still keeps his voice down.

“I’m not _scared_ of the dark, I just… I don’t… It… Ok, fine, I’m fucking scared, alright?” He bites out defensively, shoulders tense, and Max’s face softens. He turns and drops his cigarette packet and lighter beside his pillow, kicks his shoes off and hops up onto the edge of Dan’s bunk.

“Budge over, then,” he prompts, and Dan does as he’s told, not quite sure yet what Max is up to.

Once he has enough room, Max slides under the quilt, shuffling around until he’s lying comfortably, then tugs Dan closer to him until Dan’s pressed against his side, his head on Max’s shoulder as Max wraps his arms around Dan’s waist, one hand rubbing his back soothingly.

“Better?” He asks softly, and Dan nods, his cheek sliding against the soft material of Max’s t-shirt.

“Much, thank you,” he answers quietly, but sincerely, smiling to himself slightly as he finally feels himself relaxing enough to fall asleep.

The five of them are eating lunch the next afternoon before anyone mentions it.

“Hey Max? How come you slept in Dan’s bunk last night? You boys got something to tell us?” Josh teases, wiggling his eyebrows playfully, and even from across the table, Max can see Dan tense, shoulders hunching uncomfortably.

“Nah, that fucking film spooked me, he was a total bro and let me cuddle him,” Max laughs easily, happy to notice Dan relaxing as he does.

“Thank fuck, I thought I was being a total wimp,” Chris grins, and Josh nods in agreement.

“I know, I swear, I jumped at my own fucking hair at one point,” he adds, and Matt snorts, looking between them all.

“Was I seriously the only one that wasn’t scared?” He asks with a laugh, and Dan shrugs.

“Maybe you’re a sociopath,” he jokes, voice and expression totally serious. Matt stares at him with narrowed eyes for a moment, then laughs loudly.

“Ok, ok. So I’m the weird one, I still say it was a good film, though,” he concedes, and Dan snorts.

“It was a load of shit with a couple of decent jump scares. You’re a sociopath with no taste,” he refutes, setting off an hour long argument that none of them care if they win.


End file.
